Henby e



H. 1a.V WAITB.

SWITCH BOARD.

(No Model.)

` Patented Peb. 1-7. 1885. l

IlIllllllI/IIIM Miren dramas Arana* Orricn.

HENRY E. VAITE, OF NEV YORK, Y.

SWITCH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part o Letters Patent No. 312,410, dated February 17,1885.

Application flied Septcmberf, 1834. (No model .To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. Warm, a citizenof the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, havein vented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Boards, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention.,rclates to electric switchboards, and more especially that class of switchboards that are generally used in connection with a telephone central office or exchange; and it has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of such boards, and torender their operation or nianpultaion simple and effective, and prevent liability to get out of order; and to these ends mypresent invention consists in a switch-board constructed as more particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to t-he accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch-board involving my invention, and Fig. Zis a vertical section ot' the same.

rBhe switch-board may be varied in size and style to suit the circumstances of the ease; and it consists, essentially, of a base or board, A, into and upon which the various parts of the switch mechanism is placed. At the upper part of the board are arranged a number of annunciators, B, one for each subscribers line C. This annunciatormay be of any suitable form and design; but I prefer such as are described and claimed by me in my applica tion previously filed, and bearing Serial No. 137,468, which is simple, cheap, and effective, and "requires a minimum ofroom. Below each annunciator is placed a series of switch-connectors, D, four being shown in the drawings.

-Each ot' the connectors is constructed as follows: A faceplate, E, is secured to the board A in any suitable manner over an opening or recess, E', bored or otherwise formed therein. Passing through an orifice in the plate is a pin, F, having a collar or stud, f, and between this and the end of the recess is placed some sort of a spring, a coiled spring, G, embracing the pin,being shown. The end of the pin F projects through a small oriceto and beyond the rear of the board, and normally is out of con' tact with a spring or plate, O, which is connected to and forms part of theline-wire leading to ground. In front of each horizontal series of switeh-connecters is `placed a bar or rod, I, properly supported upon the plate A by brackets or by the projecting sides or edges A. Upon these bars or rods are spring jacks or levers J, consist-ing each of a plate or body having a handle, j, and a rounded or camshaped end, j. Upon this end is fixed a spring, ji, being secured thereto at one end by pins, screws, or other suitable means, the other end being left free. There may be as many of these levers on each rod as there are subscribers lines, or only a few, as two or more may be used on each rod, they being adapted to'slide thereon and be brought opposite the desired plate corresponding to the line with which connection is desired. Atone side of the bon-rd, as at K, is placed a continuons metallic strip, and this is electrically connected with the operators telephone-instruments L M N, and through them to ground The Spring jacks or levers J,t'nat are over this strip,may be made each with a slightlylonger end, j, or spring, jg, thereon. The ground- 4terminals to the lines may be constructediwith spring-plates O, adapted to be operated by Vthe pins F, or may include perforated disks I), in which case the pins may have springs p,

which are adapted to make or break contact `The spring jacks or levers normally are out of contact with the pins F, the weight of the handles causing them to assume a vertical position. lf a subscriber calls by signaling to the operator at the switchboard, the annunciator dropsas, for instance, No. l, Fig. l-and the operator immediately turns up the lever J on the rod I,

andthe sprin g j" bears upon the spring-pressed ICO the subscriber through the operators instruments and to ground. The operator, having ascertained with whom the calling subscriber desires to tallgsignals that subscriber by turning up the lever corresponding to the line desired, breaking that ground, when the operator is put in connection with the called subscriber, and as soon as he responds the two subscribers will be in proper electrical communication for conversation through the bar I, the pins F, and levers J. The operator may then use his lever to throw in and out his telephone to listen to ascertain when the subscribers are through using the line. lf another subscriber calls, the same operation is gone through with, only some other bar I and levers J are used. Of course the number of bars will be governed by the amount of use ot` the various lines and the number of communications necessary to be maintained at a time.

lt will be seen that all the contacts are made and broken by a rubbing frictional contact, thereby constantly keeping the surfaces clean and making good electrical connection.

In large switch-baords it may be preferred to have more than one strip K and set of operators instruments, and this will be governed by the necessities of each particular ease.

Instead of having the subscriberis line run directly to ground after passing the annunciator, it may be connected to the upper plate E, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the contact of the upper spring, O, is connected with the next plate E, and so onto the bottom contact, which may go to ground.

It will be observed that by this arrangement am enabled to construct a very simple and inexpensive switch-board, that is compact and readily operated, and not liable to get out of order.

Hiving thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, in a switch-board, of a series ot' subscribers lines, each provided with one or more circuit-opening devices, andaseries of spring-supported pins normally out of contact with said devices, and a series ot' levers, each adapted to operatethe pins to break the subscribers ground-line, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a switch-board, of a series of circuitbreakers upon the rear of the board, a series of spring-supported pins passing through said board, a series of bars arranged opposite the pins, and a number of levers pivoted to the bars and adapted to bear against the pins and operate the circuitbreakers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a switch-board, of a number ofspring-supported pins, and spring jacks or levers adapted to operate the pins, the levers being provided each with a curved spring upon the operating end, substantially as described.

4. rI'he combination, with a switch-board, ot' a series of spring-supported pins, a continnous metal strip connected with the operators instruments, a series of bars supported opposite the pins and strip, and anumber of pendent spring-jacks supported on the bars, and adapted to make contact with the pins and strip, substantially as described.

5. A switch -board consisting ot a board having a number of recesses in which are the annunciators connected to the several lines, a series of spring-supported pins, a se ries of horizontal bars in front of the board, and a number of spring jacks or levers sup ported upon each bar, said levers adapted to make contactwith the pins and break the ground-connection o1' the subscribers lines,

and to place two subscribers in electrical con; Y Y

nection through the bars, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specitication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. VATE.

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, WM. S. SAYERs. 

